Digest Archive vol 1 Issue 257
From: owner-champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 1999 7:35 PM
To: champ-l-digest@sysabend.org
Subject: champ-l-digest V1 #257
champ-l-digest Wednesday, March 31 1999 Volume 01 : Number 257
In this issue:
Re: HOUSE RULE: Super Speedy Skills
FW: Mind Games (adding Psychological Limitations)
Re: HOUSE RULE: Super Speedy Skills
Re: HOUSE RULE: Super Speedy Skills
Re: HOUSE RULE: Super Speedy Skills
Re: HOUSE RULE: Super Speedy Skills
Re: HOUSE RULE: Super Speedy Skills
RE: HOUSE RULE: Super Speedy Skills
Re: Trip/Sweep Martial Arts
Re: Slippery Situations
Re: CHAR: Beholder (rough draft)
RE: HOUSE RULE: Super Speedy Skills
Subscribe
CHAR: Mushroom Ogre
Re: Real American Heroes (American Themed Heroes)
Re: Mind Games (adding Psychological Limitations)
CHAR: Hopping Vampire
Re: CHAR: Beholder (rough draft)
Re: [Trigger and Personal Immunity]
Re: CHAR: Mushroom Ogre
Using 2d10 instead of 3d6 for rolls in Hero
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 19:03:57 +0200
From: Black Bishop <BISHOP@mail.sirnet.it>
Subject: Re: HOUSE RULE: Super Speedy Skills
At 11.39 31/03/99 -0500, you wrote:
>
> Much to my chagrin, there is no HERO mechanic that will allow
>a person to perform Skills at an accelerated rate. Many suggestions,
>ranging from Change Environment to AoE Transform, have been offered up.
> Unfortunately, I didn't find these to my liking, as they often
>chimed of four color, and without severely limiting these power sets
>(which made them even more kludgy), they didn't quite achieve the desired
>effect.
>
> I am thinking of grafting a new House Rule to my Big Book of House
>Rules (which isn't very big at all).
>
> Skill Speed Levels <STOP>
>
> Skill Speed Levels are used to reduce the amount of time it takes
>to perform a skill, or a specific set of skills. The cost for such levels
>are explained below:
>
>Character Points Type of Level
> 20 Reduced Time with any One Skill
> 30 Reduced Time with any three related Skills
> 50 Reduced Time with a group of similar Skills
>100 Reduced Time overall (with any Skill Roll)
>
> These levels can not apply to OCV, DCV, and Combat Skills (for
>obvious reasons). These levels may also be inappropriate for Skills
>dependent on the environment (often where time is a requirement), and the
>GM should discourage or disallow these level's use in such circumstances.
>Examples of this would be cautious use of chemicals with a SC: Chemistry
>skill, most PRE based skills (which require a person or audience to
>listen), certain DEX based skills (which often have an Instant effect,
>anyway), PS: Baker while baking cookies (it takes time to bake cookies),
>etc.
> A level reduces the amount of time required down on the time
>chart. Additional increments on the time chart can be purchased as a +1/2
>Advantage on the levels.
> There is a cumulative penalty of -1 for every step down the time
>chart. This penalty can be negated for +10 points for every +1 it is
>negated by. These "negation plusses" only negate penalties incurred by
>these levels.
> Of course, physical limitation still apply. If you have PS:
>Gardener, you might be able to sculpt a hedge efficiently with great skill
>at very good speeds, but you might not be able to traverse the distances
>quicker than your normal movement rate, hedge to hedge. Also remember,
>the amount of time required to preform skills can be adversely effected
>by exhaustion (even the great masters had to take breaks). Also, this
>does not allow a character to assimilate or memorize information quicker.
>For that, purchase Speed Reading, Cramming, Lightning Calculator, and
>Eidetic Memory.
>
> Example:
> Ratzo Fink is an expert safe-cracker and lock pick. He wants to
>be not only the best, but the fastest. Ratzo purchases a 30 point level
>that applies to Safe-cracking, Lock picking, and Security systems. He also
>purchases a negation plus for 10 points.
> Ratzo now has competition from a Rival safe cracker, Vinnie
>Quickfingers. He decides to upgrade his skills. He purchases an
>additional level for Safecracking, with one step down on the time chart
>(+1/2 Advantage), and a negation level, for a whopping 40 points.
> Now he can crack safes that would take an hour for most chumps in
>a minute (and the GM determines that a minute is about as fast as he can
>go without having superhumanly fast fingers).
> Ratzo is in the hole 80 points all together, but he's the fastest
>safecracker this side of the Pacific. It's not easy being the best...
>
>Note: I'm not sure if these levels should also grant bonuses for
>additional time up on the time chart while using a skills. i.e. I spent an
>hour when it would normally take me five minutes. Do I still get a +1?
>
> Tell me what you think. Comments, questions, salutations, flames,
>and anything else is welcome.
>
>
>
>
>
Don't you think it is too expensive ??? A speedster (like Quicksilver) that
has an accelerate metabolism (so he can do also things at hyperspeed)
should spend too much points to simulate this (take always for example
Quicksilver that can do hour time things in few minutes or less... all
ability with some negations... and you should pay more than 150 points
???Poor speedsters..)
It is a good idea and a very good work but I just think it is too expensive
Black Bishop
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 12:16:56 -0500
From: Brian Wawrow <bwawrow@fmco.com>
Subject: FW: Mind Games (adding Psychological Limitations)
] ] Now, what determines what Psychological Lim. the
] ] recepient of this
] ] power gets? ...and how is that determined? Is it like
] Mind Control?
] Well, when you buy a drain, you pick what it works against,
] don't you? So, if you were the evil overlord of some
] second-rate dictatorship, you might want a Drain vs. Lack of
] Superpatriot to use on your people. If you wanted to be able
] to screw with people's mental stability in more versatile
] ways, you would buy the drain with the advantages to allow
] drains against a special effect, thus allowing you to cause
] [for example] paranoia, compulsive lying, drug addiction and
] maybe even a berzerk.
]
] ]
] ]
] ]
]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 09:24:37 -0800
From: Derek Hiemforth <derekh@employees.org>
Subject: Re: HOUSE RULE: Super Speedy Skills
At 8:39 AM -0800 3/31/99, Jason Sullivan wrote:
> Much to my chagrin, there is no HERO mechanic that will allow
>a person to perform Skills at an accelerated rate. Many suggestions,
>ranging from Change Environment to AoE Transform, have been offered up.
Your proposed house rules seem overly expensive, IMO. What about
simply reversing the bonuses for taking Extra Time? (And perhaps
doubling them, since speeding up a task would seem to increase the
difficulty more than slowing down a task would decrease it.) So
instead of getting a +1 to the roll for every step on the Time Chart
that you increase the time you spend on the task, you take a -2
penalty for every step on the Time Chart that you decrease the time
you spend on the task (down to a minimum possible time set by the GM
based on the character and the situation). Then, you might buy Skill
Levels to go with it, with the Limitation "Only to cancel decreased
time penalties".
To use your example:
Ratzo Fink wants to open a safe that would normally take an hour, but
he wants to try and do it in a minute. A minute is two steps down the
Time Chart from an hour, so he takes a -4 to his Lockpicking roll. If
Ratzo had wanted to do it in a Phase (and the GM thought this was
possible) his penalty would have been -8. Ratzo can also buy Skill
Levels (at least 5 point levels, since they're bought with a Limitation)
with the Limitation "Only to cancel decreased time penalties (-1)".
If he buys 4 of these levels that are applicable to his Lockpicking
Skill, then he can pick a lock in a minute that lesser lockpicks of
otherwise comparable skill need an hour to pick.
In four-color games, you might use a reverse of the Extraordinary
Skill rule, and say that any roll made with a -10 penalty can succeed
in the minimum possible amount of time, no matter what.
- - Derek
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 11:24:53 -0600 (CST)
From: Curt Hicks <exucurt@exu.ericsson.se>
Subject: Re: HOUSE RULE: Super Speedy Skills
> From: Jason Sullivan <ravanos@NJCU.edu>
>
>
> Much to my chagrin, there is no HERO mechanic that will allow
> a person to perform Skills at an accelerated rate. Many suggestions,
> ranging from Change Environment to AoE Transform, have been offered up.
> Unfortunately, I didn't find these to my liking, as they often
>
So far I have just skimmed this, but I agree with BISHOP@mail.sirnet.it
that it seems pretty expensive.
I have previously posted a superspeed power (not my own construction)
but haven't found it yet, though I found some of the discussion from
1995. If I remember properly, for every 10 points, it let you perform
non-combat actions at one level less on the speed chart.
Alternately, you can always just buy normal skill levels and use them
to offset the penalty for doing things quicker than normal. The penalty
would be calculated just as the extra time bonus is.
Curt
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 12:33:24 -0500 (EST)
From: Jason Sullivan <ravanos@NJCU.edu>
Subject: Re: HOUSE RULE: Super Speedy Skills
> Don't you think it is too expensive ??? A speedster (like Quicksilver) that
> has an accelerate metabolism (so he can do also things at hyperspeed)
> should spend too much points to simulate this (take always for example
> Quicksilver that can do hour time things in few minutes or less... all
> ability with some negations... and you should pay more than 150 points
> ???Poor speedsters..)
> It is a good idea and a very good work but I just think it is too expensive
>
> Black Bishop
I think it's appropiately priced, considering it was meant for
a range of anything from Heroic to High Superheroic.
I made it expensive to prevent abuse. Also, quicksliver is a very
powerful character.
Considering there aren't many Advantages that apply, you can
probally reduce the cost considerabally by adding Limitations.
For Super-Spedsters, I would suggest limiting the levels as
follows:
Reduced Time overall, +1 level on chart (+1/2); Concentration
(throught, 0 DCV (-1)), Power Costs END (-1/2), "Visible": Obvious use of
super speed; requires Super Speed powers to be active (-1/4); +1 negation
plus (+10 cost)
If my math is correct, this costs about 64 points. Affordable for
even a starting character. Not bad for being able to do something that
takes an hour in a minute. And that applies to all applicable skills.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 12:38:13 -0500 (EST)
From: Jason Sullivan <ravanos@NJCU.edu>
Subject: Re: HOUSE RULE: Super Speedy Skills
On Wed, 31 Mar 1999, Derek Hiemforth wrote:
> Your proposed house rules seem overly expensive, IMO. What about
> simply reversing the bonuses for taking Extra Time? (And perhaps
> doubling them, since speeding up a task would seem to increase the
> difficulty more than slowing down a task would decrease it.) So
> instead of getting a +1 to the roll for every step on the Time Chart
> that you increase the time you spend on the task, you take a -2
> penalty for every step on the Time Chart that you decrease the time
> you spend on the task (down to a minimum possible time set by the GM
> based on the character and the situation). Then, you might buy Skill
> Levels to go with it, with the Limitation "Only to cancel decreased
> time penalties".
Skill Levels bought with Limitations to increase performance would
cost less than actually buying the levels "naked," without the limitation,
thus granting a return on your levels for a Limitation that isn't a
limitation.
I'll keep your ruling in mind for editing purposes. I'm always
open to ideas.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 09:49:35 -0800
From: Derek Hiemforth <derekh@employees.org>
Subject: Re: HOUSE RULE: Super Speedy Skills
At 9:38 AM -0800 3/31/99, Jason Sullivan wrote:
> Skill Levels bought with Limitations to increase performance would
>cost less than actually buying the levels "naked," without the limitation,
>thus granting a return on your levels for a Limitation that isn't a
>limitation.
Umm... it is definitely a Limitation as I described it. What I was
proposing was that anyone could try to perform a Skill faster by taking
a penalty to the roll. If they buy Skill Levels that can only counter
these penalties, then that is certainly a Limitation. For example,
if Ratzo Fink has Lockpicking on a 13- base roll, and buys 4 "naked"
Skill levels that affect it, then his Lockpicking roll is 17- all the
time, whether he's trying to use it quickly or not. If he buys the
Levels with the Limitation that they only counter decreased time penalties,
then his roll is only ever 13-; they can't help his roll get higher,
they just help prevent it from getting lower.
- - Derek
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 12:45:56 -0500
From: Brian Wawrow <bwawrow@fmco.com>
Subject: RE: HOUSE RULE: Super Speedy Skills
This is a regular power right? So you could put it in your speedster
multipower with you Mach7 running and your autofire punches? If that's the
case, I agree with the cost.
But, if this is a special always-on power like regen or life support, I
think the cost is prohibitively expensive. Adding a slot to your multipower
so you can use your skills at super speed is one thing, but to spend all
those points on a global skill accelerator seems a little over the top.
] > Don't you think it is too expensive ??? A speedster (like
] Quicksilver) that
] > has an accelerate metabolism (so he can do also things at
] hyperspeed)
] > should spend too much points to simulate this (take always
] for example
] > Quicksilver that can do hour time things in few minutes or
] less... all
] > ability with some negations... and you should pay more than
] 150 points
] > ???Poor speedsters..)
] > It is a good idea and a very good work but I just think it
] is too expensive
] >
] > Black Bishop
]
] I think it's appropiately priced, considering it was meant for
] a range of anything from Heroic to High Superheroic.
] I made it expensive to prevent abuse. Also,
] quicksliver is a very
] powerful character.
] Considering there aren't many Advantages that apply, you can
] probally reduce the cost considerabally by adding Limitations.
] For Super-Spedsters, I would suggest limiting the levels as
] follows:
]
] Reduced Time overall, +1 level on chart (+1/2); Concentration
] (throught, 0 DCV (-1)), Power Costs END (-1/2), "Visible":
] Obvious use of
] super speed; requires Super Speed powers to be active (-1/4);
] +1 negation
] plus (+10 cost)
]
] If my math is correct, this costs about 64 points.
] Affordable for
] even a starting character. Not bad for being able to do
] something that
] takes an hour in a minute. And that applies to all applicable skills.
]
]
]
]
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 09:54:59 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: Trip/Sweep Martial Arts
At 10:29 AM 3/31/1999 -0500, Jason Sullivan wrote:
>
> Is there a Trip or Sweep Maneuveur in TUMA?
> If so, how does it function. I require it for my Flag Waver
>write-up.
Legsweep, 3 pt maneuver, +2 OCV, -1 DCV, STR+1d6, Target Falls.
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 09:52:56 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: Slippery Situations
At 10:33 AM 3/31/1999 -0500, Jason Sullivan wrote:
>
> I'm working on a villian who can spray a frictionless oil type
>substance.
No! No! Not the "Slippery Surface" discussion again! ;-]
> I need to work on a power that will impair a hero's abaility to
>pick up and manipulate objects (DEX drain?).
>
> I also need to have an appropiate flaw to negate the power, which
>is very common and common sense. An absorbant material, like clay dust,
>can absorb it, soap and water can dilute it, and it can eventually be
>wiped off. It evaporates over time, as well.
For Hero4, I just use Entangle, Stops Touch Sense Group, with
appropriate Modifiers such as Entangle and Character Both Take Damage,
either 0 DEF or 1 BODY, and Does Not Restrict Movement (-1). Transparent
to Physical Attacks (borrowed from Force Wall) is also a possibility,
depending on how you want it to work.
The bits about absorbancy, dilution, and evaporation would all just be
part of the Entangle's SFX.
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 09:24:45 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: CHAR: Beholder (rough draft)
At 02:50 PM 3/31/1999 GMT, Quentin Stephens wrote:
>> Physical Limitation: No manipulatory limbs
>
>Not appropriate as it has TK, I would suggest.
I disagree here. The TK does offset the problems formed by having no
manipulatory limbs, but the offset is paid for by the points that the
creature spends in TK. IOW, if the disabling effect of a 20-point Physical
Limitation is offset by a 20-point Power, then the two can be considered to
balance each other out. At least, IMHO.
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 13:24:46 -0500 (EST)
From: Jason Sullivan <ravanos@NJCU.edu>
Subject: RE: HOUSE RULE: Super Speedy Skills
On Wed, 31 Mar 1999, Brian Wawrow wrote:
> This is a regular power right? So you could put it in your speedster
> multipower with you Mach7 running and your autofire punches? If that's the
> case, I agree with the cost.
With special GM permission, you can include this in a Multipower.
I would, with the SFX you mentioned in a Superheroic setting.
> But, if this is a special always-on power like regen or life support, I
> think the cost is prohibitively expensive. Adding a slot to your multipower
> so you can use your skills at super speed is one thing, but to spend all
> those points on a global skill accelerator seems a little over the top.
If I break this down...
Skills are of no known Power Type. The Modifer is of the Special
power type.
Skills have an indefinite Duration: some are instant, others take
time. This power has an indefinite duration: modifying the Duration
to be exponentally less. The effect it has on the Skill is Instant.
Skills Target either one's self, an inantimate object, or a
target. This power's Target is really Self-only, but it's effects can
affect one's self, inanimate objects, or a target.
A Skill's target can also be comnsidered a "special" type:
intellectual, philosophical, ideological, social, artistic.
Skills cost no END. Once performed, a Skill's effects happen and
usually can not be altered...
...but Skills can oppose Skills.
At first, I'd thought I'd make the time chart skip an Advantage,
but I found that the cost didn't grow with the usefulness of the power
with a range of between +1/2 and +1 that could be applied to Skill Levels.
With 30 points, you could buy two levels down on the chart with
all skills. For another 20, you could add levels for a specific skill
(Invention, for example).
Keeping this in mind (with the +1 Advantage), you could be six
levels down the speed chart, doing in one hour what would take a year,
without penalities, for 50 points. Similarily, the same character could
do what would take one week for a normal person to do in one hour.
This was functional, but not granular enough.
The problem I encountered was with the Time Chart itself. The
units of time would take dramatic leaps, and even with a +1 Advantage, you
probally wouldn't apply more than that one Advantage on a particular
Skill Level, and that would be ridiculously cheap.
I also thought about doubling the Advantage to +2 per level, which
would raise the expense...
Instead of making these abilities an Advantage for Skills
(Advantages on Skills are questionable as is), I decided to make it a
Power.
...and thus, this topic was born. :)
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 10:38:41 -0800
From: Michael Telford <whitewings@sprint.ca>
Subject: Subscribe
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 13:39:51 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@dedaana.otd.com>
Subject: CHAR: Mushroom Ogre
MUSHROOM OGRE
(Japan)
Val CHA Cost Roll Notes
30* STR 10 15- 1600kg; 6d6
14 DEX 12 12- OCV: 5 / DCV: 4
23 CON 26 14-
17* BODY 10 12-
3 INT -7 10- PER Roll 10-
10 EGO 0 11- ECV: 3
15 PRE 0 12- PRE Attack: 3d6
0 COM -5 9-
12 PD 8 Total: 12 PD
10 ED 5 Total: 10 ED
3 SPD 6 Phases: 4, 8, 12
9 REC 0
46 END 0
40* STUN 1 * Includes modifiers for Growth
Total Characteristics Cost: 71
Movement: Running: 5" / 10"
Swimming: 0"
Cost Powers & Skills
Combat Training:
4 Combat Skill Levels: +2 OCV with Bite
Plant Body Powers:
13 Great Size: Growth: Two Levels, 0 END (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2),
Always on (-1/2):
20 Bite: HKA: 1d6+1 (2 1/2d6 w/STR), END 2
60 Primitive Nervous System: Damage Reduction: 3/4 Physical,
Resistant
6 Plant Body: Life Support: Immune to Aging, Disease
- -2 Short Legs: Running: -1" (5" total), END 1
- -2 Plant Body: Swimming: -2" (0" total)
5 Night Vision: UV Vision
Creature Skills:
9 Concealment 13-
5 Stealth 13-
9 Tracking 13-
123 Total Powers & Skills Cost
194 Total Character Cost
50+ Disadvantages
20 Distinctive Features: 8' tall mushroom with a horrid face on the
cap (NC)
15 Physical Limitation: No limbs (I, F)
20 Psychological Limitation: Fear of open flames, fires (C, T)
15 Susceptibility: Direct Sunlight: 1d6/minute
Vulnerability:
30 Fire: x2 BODY
30 Fire: x2 STUN
14 Experience
194 Total Disadvantage Points
Appearance:
The mushroom ogre looks exactly as its name implies. It is an immense
mushroom, standing close to eight feet in height, with an ugly humanoid
face on the cap. Normally, the mushroom ogre is a pale white with dark
blotches, although some have been seen that are black or dark gray. The
face is roughly humanoid, although bloated looking. They eyes are dark
and the teeth are thick slabs.
Ecology:
Mushroom ogres sprout under gallows trees and in cemeteries. Some have
been found growing in the execution grounds as well. They start out
looking like any normal mushroom, but they quickly assume a large size and
can then be identified by the small face on the cap. Once they reach a
height of a few feet, a mushroom ogre will uproot itself and move about on
its small legs. They prey on small animals, birds and carrion, but aren't
adverse to supplementing their diet with larger animals such as deer or
even humans. As they are strong adverse to bright light and sunlight is
painful for them, adult mushroom ogres will normally be found in thick
forests, dank caves or anywhere that is dark and humid.
Motivations:
Mushroom ogres have typical animal motivates of survival.
Combat Techniques:
Because of their limited mobility, a mushroom ogre prefers to lie in wait
for its prey, positioning itself in heavy thickets or near streams. They
are quick for their size and the cap can bend in any direction to strike a
target. If confronted by open flames or bright light, a mushroom ogre
will flee.
Rumors:
It is said by some that mushroom ogres are the reborn souls of criminals
executed at the gallows.
Designer's Notes:
The mushroom ogre was adapted from the pages of the GURPS Fantasy
Bestiary. I have been unable to document this creature anywhere else, and
the GURPS book didn't have a bibliography. Although I tried to stick to
the limited descriptive text given with the creature in the original book,
I did take a few artistic liberties in the appearance and rumors section
in order to add a little 'flavor' to the write up.
- --
Michael Surbrook - susano@otd.com - http://www.otd.com/~susano/index.html
"Feel the sting of a Draconian stun-stick, Erf-trash!"
A jive Draconian, from the TV show _Buck Rogers in the 25th Century_
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 12:58:02 -0600
From: "Logan Darklighter" <logand@airmail.net>
Subject: Re: Real American Heroes (American Themed Heroes)
>><Yoda voice>
>> When my age you become, not so good you will remember, hmmm?
>></Yoda voice>
>
> Actually, memory is the *second* thing to go.
> I forget what the first is. ;-]
>---
Just remember, as you get older (if you can) --
Senility will be the very _last_ thing you have to worry about. ^_~
- -Logan
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --
"You just listen to the words of the old Porkchop Express
and take his advice on a dark and stormy night when the
lightning is crashing, the thunder rolling and the rain
falling in sheets as thick as lead. Just remember what
Jack Burton does when the earth quakes, the poison
arrows fall from the sky and the pillars of heaven shake.
Yeah, Jack Burton looks that big old storm right in the
eye and he says: 'Gimme your best shot pal, I can take it!'."
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --
Web page: http://www.cyberramp.net/~logand/
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 09:46:25 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: Mind Games (adding Psychological Limitations)
At 10:42 AM 3/31/1999 -0500, Jason Sullivan wrote:
>
> I'm working on a villian who can amplify and add Psychological
>Limitations psionicly.
There is currently no official, "canon" way to do this which is clean
and well-defined. Keep this in mind in reading my suggestions below.
> I do not own TUM, so if there any optional rules contained
>there-in, I do not know about them.
>
> A BOECV Transform would work, but there has been a gray area where
>it has been stated Transforms can not be used to alter point values.
It's been stated by GMs as a house rule, but it's not in HSR4 (at least,
not that I can find).
At the same time, there are no clear guidelines on how to limit how much
a character can be altered by. Complaints that letting this be open-ended
could allow a slew of "Transform Roach Into Blindly Loyal Demigod" to pop
up are quite legitimate. Personally, I tend to use something similar to
the STUN Multiple rule (I just say 3X the amount shown on the dice, and it
requires a Major Transform).
> There is no EGO power currently that can add or subtract points.
>An EGO-based Adjustment power could be used to temporarily "add" the
>points, but that is veering too far from cannon for my tastes.
TUM does give guidelines for using Dispel or Suppress vs Psychological
Limitations and Berserk/Enraged, but there's no clear mechanic for creating
them, any more than there's a clear mechanic for granting someone a Power
(except Usable By Others, which is satisfactory only in a limited range of
effects).
Someone else (I forget who) once proposed that Aid could be used at half
value (or double cost, depending on how you view it) to grant Powers that
the target doesn't normally have; for example, if Aid is 5 pts per d6, then
at 10 pts per d6 one could grant Flight to non-flyers.
This suggests one possible method: apply a Drain at 20 pts per d6, with
the Advantage "Any One Power of a SFX," where the SFX is the absence of a
particular Psychological Limitation.
> Would the combination of the above be a decent "rules hack" that
>would allow this type of ability to function?
Yes, a combination of Transform and Drain could be used for this, if you
want it to.
Another possibility would be to try something like Mind Control or
Mental Illusions to simulate the change.
> Or should I create a special new power using the guidelines in
>HERO to simulate these effects.
You could do that, too.
> Or, if this is all a heniously bad idea to which I can find no
>alternative, should I just stick with my original idea of a BOECV
>Transform: "Psychological Limitations to Physical Limitations."
I don't think that this would represent what you're talking about,
though I do think that it's a very interesting concept on its own.... :-]
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 14:46:29 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Surbrook <susano@dedaana.otd.com>
Subject: CHAR: Hopping Vampire
HOPPING VAMPIRE
(China)
Val CHA Cost Roll Notes
30 STR 20 15- 1600kg; 6d6 [3]
15 DEX 15 12- OCV: 5 / DCV: 5
25 CON 30 13-
10 BODY 0 11-
5 INT -5 10- PER Roll 14-
20 EGO 20 11- ECV: 7
20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6
4 COM -3 10-
6 PD 0 Total: 12 PD / 6 PDr
6 ED 1 Total: 12 ED / 6 EDr
3 SPD 0 Phases: 4, 8, 12
12 REC 2
50 END 0
40 STUN 2
Total Characteristics Cost: 92
Movement: Superleap: 12" / 24"
Cost Powers & Skills
Combat Training:
15 Combat Skill Levels: +3 with HTH
Hopping Vampire Powers:
30 Claws: HKA: 1 1/2d6 (3d6+1 with STR), 0 END (+1/2),
No Knockback (-1/4)
3 Bite: RKA: 1 pip, 0 END (+1/2), No Range (-1/2), Must Follow
Grab (-1/2)
7 Blood Drain: RKA: 1d6, Continuous (+1), No Range (-1/2), Must
Follow Grab (-1/2), Bite RKA Must Do BODY (-1/2), Extra Time:
1 Turn (-1), Concentrate: 0 DCV (-1/2)
12 Corruption: 1d6 Major Transformation Attack -- Human to Hopping
Vampire, Cumulative (+1/2), 0 END (+1/2), No Range (-1/2), Linked
to Claws, Attack Must do Body (-1/2), Transform is reversed by steady
diet of "sticky rice" (Heals 1d6 per day of diet)
18 Undead Body: Armor 6 PD, 6 ED
40 Undead Body: Damage Reduction 3/4 Energy, Resistant, Not vs
Fire (-1/2)
40 Undead Body: Damage Reduction 3/4 Physical, Resistant, Not vs
Bullets (-1/2)
15 Undead Body: Does not bleed
30 Undead Body: Life Support: Full
10 Regeneration: 1 Body per Turn
- -12 Running: -6" (0" Total)
6 Hopping: Superleap: +6"
- -2 Swimming: -2" (0" total)
5 Life Sense: IR Vision
10 Life Sense: Tracking Scent
12 Life Sense: +4 with Perception
Background Skills:
2 AK: Local Area 11-
3 Climbing 12-
2 PS: Former Profession 11-
5 Shadowing 12-
3 Stealth 12-
5 Tracking 11-
259 Total Powers & Skills Cost
351 Total Character Cost
100+ Disadvantages
25 Distinctive Features: Hopping Vampire (cadaver dressed in rich
robes; red glowing eyes; long, sharp fingernails) (NC, E)
Physical Limitation:
15 Can only come out at night (I, F)
15 Can't cross solid line of uncooked sticky rice (I, F)
15 Immobilized by having holy talisman (ie ofuda) put on
forehead (I, F)
Psychological Limitation:
20 Single minded in pursuit of prey (C, T)
15 Strong sexual desires and urges (C, S)
15 Very vicious and bloodthirsty (C, S)
131 Experience
Optional Disadvantages:
Physical Limitation:
15 Cannot cross iron fillings, red peas, rice or running water (I, F)
10 Repulsed by the presence of garlic (I, G)
25 Susceptibility: 1d6 BODY per Phase from Sunlight
Vulnerability:
20 2 x BODY from Fire
20 2 x STUN from Fire
351 Total Disadvantage Points
Appearance:
In general, hopping vampires are greenish skinned corpses with red eyes.
They are usually dressed in rich robes, although some may wear only rags
or nothing at all. As their name suggests, they move by hopping.
Although initially comical to behold, these vampires are very dangerous
and very lethal.
Ecology:
The hopping vampire can be created in any number of ways. Normally, it
comes about as a result of being the victim of another hopping vampire.
Blows from a hopping vampires can become infected, turning the victim into
a vampire himself. Hopping vampires can also arise when a person dies by
drowning, hanging, suicide, or suffocation.
Motivations:
A hopping vampire is mainly driven by a desire to feed upon blood. It is
vicious in combat, preferring to tear apart its victims before drinking
their blood. Hopping vampires are also known to still posses strong
sexual urges and will pursue and assault members of the opposite sex
before drinking their blood.
Combat Techniques:
Hopping vampires tend to try and overwhelm their victims through sheer
force of numbers or by attacking by surprise. They are very violent and
tend to tear their victims to shreds, ripping them apart with their long
talons. As the hopping vampire isn't very bright, most forms of advanced
planing are beyond it.
Other Names: Ch'ing-Shih, Chiang-Shih, Jiang-Shi, Kiang-Shi, Kyonshi,
Kyuketsuki, Qing-shi
Rumors:
It is said that the vampire hops because it is an evil undead creature,
the hopping vampire is rejected by the earth, meaning that it cannot
remain in contact with the ground, much less remain in its grave.
Designer's Notes:
The hopping vampire isn't really a creature of Chinese folklore, but more
a product of the highly inventive Hong Kong movie business. This
particular design was derived from elements of the traditional Chiang-Shih
as well as material borrowed from Feng Shui's description of the hopping
vampire.
- --
Michael Surbrook - susano@otd.com - http://www.otd.com/~susano/index.html
"Feel the sting of a Draconian stun-stick, Erf-trash!"
A jive Draconian, from the TV show _Buck Rogers in the 25th Century_
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 13:32:20 -0800 (PST)
From: shaw@caprica.com (Wayne Shaw)
Subject: Re: CHAR: Beholder (rough draft)
>
>> Physical Limitation: No manipulatory limbs
>
>Not appropriate as it has TK, I would suggest.
As with flight for someone with no legs or Clairvoyance for someone with no
eyes, it certainly justifies a lesser Disadvantage, but I don't think they
entirely balance.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 19:13:41 -0500
From: Indiana Joe <jrc3@home.net>
Subject: Re: [Trigger and Personal Immunity]
At 7:50 PM -0500 3/30/99, ANTHONY VARGAS wrote:
>Well, triggered powers don't generally act like free detects, but, I think
>in most genres, the person who casts a spell has a certain attachment to
>it, so it wouldn't be unreasonable. It depends on how you think of magick.
How would it be acting as a free detect?
>Of course, that Personal Immunity might be a good idea anyway - just in
>case the rampaging barbarian captures you and stupidly drags you into
>that particular hex. ;)
Well, if the power isn't triggered by the caster, than he can just stay in
there until the barbarian gets bored. :-) (Yeah, this spell can either be
offensive or defensive.)
Some people have asked, so I'll put up the mechanics of the spell.
Cage of the 5 Lightnings
1d6 RKA, AF:5 (+1/2), AE:1 hex (+1/2), hole in the middle (+1/4), trigger:
entering or leaving target hex (+1/4), Extra Time: Full phase (-1/4),
gestures (-1/4), incantations (-1/4), OIF: shuriken (-1/2), requires 20
pts. in Metal college (-1/2), RSR: magic skill (-1/2), requires a to-hit
roll when triggered (-1/4). 37 AP (-4 to skll roll), 10 RP, 8 END.
Joe Claffey | "In the end, everything is a gag."
jrc3@home.net | - Charlie Chaplin
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 15:26:33 -0800
From: Bob Greenwade <bob.greenwade@klock.com>
Subject: Re: CHAR: Mushroom Ogre
At 01:39 PM 3/31/1999 -0500, Michael Surbrook wrote:
>MUSHROOM OGRE
Mushroom Ogres? Duuuuuude! ;-]
>0 COM -5 9-
'Kay, like, I didn't think they were so ugly from the text part, man.
Like, just regular mushrooms, ya know? That's not so gnarly.
>Combat Training:
>4 Combat Skill Levels: +2 OCV with Bite
Most heinous! Was that in the GURPS version?
>Plant Body Powers:
. . .
>60 Primitive Nervous System: Damage Reduction: 3/4 Physical,
> Resistant
Hey, like, do ya think, maybe, a Plant Body could be a good reason for
some of those Automaton Powers?
>6 Plant Body: Life Support: Immune to Aging, Disease
Immune to aging? These things live forever if not killed first?
Bummer.
>15 Susceptibility: Direct Sunlight: 1d6/minute
Hey, I'm thinking, like, if they're so "strongly adverse to bright
light, and sunlight is painful to them,"* shouldn't this be bigger? I'm
thinking, like, Susceptibility to Bright Light and Direct Sunlight
(common), 2d6/minute.
Or at least a Psychological Limitation that it doesn't like bright
light. Ya know?
(*Note corrected grammar/punctuation here; the rest looked fine on that
count.)
>Rumors:
>It is said by some that mushroom ogres are the reborn souls of criminals
>executed at the gallows.
Major bummer. They gotta be drug runners. You know, "poetic justice"
and all that.
Hey, I bet these are the ones that grow in cemeteries! :-]
>Designer's Notes:
>The mushroom ogre was adapted from the pages of the GURPS Fantasy
>Bestiary. I have been unable to document this creature anywhere else, and
>the GURPS book didn't have a bibliography. Although I tried to stick to
>the limited descriptive text given with the creature in the original book,
>I did take a few artistic liberties in the appearance and rumors section
>in order to add a little 'flavor' to the write up.
Like, you did a majorly nice job of that, too. :-]
- ---
Bob's Original Hero Stuff Page! [Circle of HEROS member]
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/original.htm
Merry-Go-Round Webring -- wanna join?
http://www.klock.com/public/users/bob.greenwade/merrhome.htm
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 19:27:20 -0500
From: "Michael Sprague" <msprague@eznet.net>
Subject: Using 2d10 instead of 3d6 for rolls in Hero
PERCEIVED PROBLEM:
I am not happy with the way the 3d6 rolls in the Hero System work.
Depending on where one is on the Bell Curve, a +/-1 can be either
significant or insignificant. Also, I find that it is pretty reasonable for
a character to end up with a 14- roll, which gives a 90% chance of making
the roll.
I would like to balance this out a little and make the rolls to be a little
more random. At the same time, if a character is really good at a Skill,
they should generally make their roll. Rolling a d20 as in D&D, for
example, is simply too random for my taste.
POSSIBLE SOLUTION:
Change rolls from 3d6 to 2d10. This puts the average right at 11 (instead
of 10.5) and flattens the bell curve some. You would now need a 2 for
automatic success and a 20 for automatic failure. However, you would have
double the chances of getting these end values vs. 3d6.
I have included two tables below (view with a fixed pitch font). One
compares target rolls (e.g. 14-) between 3d6 and 2d10. That is, the
percentage chance of rolling that number or lower. I have also included a
table showing the percentage chance of getting a specific number. One can
see what the chances of getting the end values are, or simply compare the
bell curves.
3d6 2d10 3d6 2d10
% Target % Target % chance % chance
Roll or less or less Target Target
- ---- -------- -------- -------- --------
2 --- 0.010000 --- 0.010000
3 0.004630 0.030000 0.004630 0.020000
4 0.018519 0.060000 0.013889 0.030000
5 0.046296 0.100000 0.027778 0.040000
6 0.092593 0.150000 0.046296 0.050000
7 0.162037 0.210000 0.069444 0.060000
8 0.259259 0.280000 0.097222 0.070000
9 0.375000 0.360000 0.115741 0.080000
10 0.500000 0.450000 0.125000 0.090000
11 0.625000 0.550000 0.125000 0.100000
12 0.740741 0.640000 0.115741 0.090000
13 0.837963 0.720000 0.097222 0.080000
14 0.907407 0.790000 0.069444 0.070000
15 0.953704 0.850000 0.046296 0.060000
16 0.981481 0.900000 0.027778 0.050000
17 0.995370 0.940000 0.013889 0.040000
18 1.000000 0.970000 0.004630 0.030000
19 --- 0.990000 --- 0.020000
20 --- 1.000000 --- 0.010000
I am seriously thinking about making this change for Skill Rolls, and
possibly for Combat Attack Rolls. Anyone care to venture opinions on this?
Note that I am quite aware that I could assign more negatives to rolls than
I do (and I do assign negatives), but that does not really sooth my itch.
~ Mike
------------------------------
End of champ-l-digest V1 #257
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Date: Tuesday, June 15, 1999 01:13 PM